CHAPTER 3
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Current events
The impression was so profound that, even though several hours had passed since that encounter in front of the building, Emma was still troubled. He, of course, did not even notice her.
Emma escaped as best she could from the site by running into the streets and into Central Park as a safe haven.
First she tried to calm herself, and then she got a degree of calm, removed the cell phone and began researching on the search engines.
Harlock Investment Group.
Liam Van Dyke.
Stidwell Building.
He found a wealth of information.
The investment company founded by Liam's father, tycoon Harlock Van Dyke, a stern, uncompromising man who built his empire from scratch had died just over a year ago and although his only son inherited all its shares, he didn't take over as CEO as might be expected. In his place was a temporary one.
That was strange, Emma thought.
But googling information about Liam, news of his Wall Street moves didn't jump out, but to his amorous dalliances with practically every supermodel in Manhattan playing his role as a confirmed bachelor.
At that point, Emma no longer wanted to read and closed her mobile browser.
Never before in ten years had she sought any news from him because she knew it would hurt and she didn't need to be sad about a heart that had broken all by herself. She was too engrossed with conflicts with her own family and working hard to support herself and her little boy.
Remembering Liam Van Dyke took her back a decade ago, when she was a senior in high school.
She recalled perfectly the first time she saw Liam, he was the new kid in town coming to serve out the remainder of his school year in a faraway town like Cheyenne, for a punishment meted out by his bigoted, millionaire father seeking to reprimand his only son.
During that period, Liam lived alone in a huge residential apartment, under the demanding tutelage of two of his father's lawyers, who checked his grades and his behavior.
Mr. Van Dyke never came.
Liam came to serve a penance, but everyone forgot when they met him.
He was a boy who charmed everyone, with his wicked, easy smile. With a bearing that rivaled that of any young man his age because he played so much sport. And those eyes as clear as the Cheyenne sky.
In addition, he was the bearer of other characteristics that dazzled girls.
He was arrogant, presumptuous and conceited. A pimp, through and through. The life and soul of student parties. The city boy.
Although Emma, the chubby girl with glasses, was stunned to see him, and was always careful to watch him from a hiding place, he never saw her until one embarrassing day at lunchtime, when Emma tripped and her full tray fell on the broad back of the boy sitting with his friends.
The little girl almost died of embarrassment right there and then, and she made a hundred apologies to the laughter of the other students.
But Liam saw her.
“But what have we here,” fixing his big blue eyes on her who was shaking like a leaf from the floor as she tried to pick up the dishes, “What do you think you're doing, Dorothy Gale ... are you going to eat the floor too?"
And they all burst out laughing at the comment.
Emma took advantage of the humiliating moment to slip away.
And from then on, every time they met or passed each other, he called her Dorothy, after the Kansas farm girl from The Wizard of Oz .
“ Dorothy , I hope your family puts a lock on the refrigerator or you'll be in trouble,” he would say as he watched her sit down to eat.
“I hope you're as smart as you are when you eat lunch,” and he passed her the notebook so Emma could transcribe the Literature homework he hated.
Despite his bullying of her, his allusions didn't affect her as the little girl had denser problems at home, so Liam's teasing was an escape for the girl.
Worse, she was incapable of running away from him, as Emma fell intensely in love with the unexpected potency of first love.
A love that of course, would go nowhere.
Liam would return to the city, she wasn't sure if it was Los Angeles or Seattle because he never said. For all his extroverted looks, he was secretive about his life.
That's why she never talked back to him and did everything he asked.
She copied his homework, went to the store to get his favorite snacks, and even once took it upon herself to get rid of some women's underwear left inside his car.
“ Dorothy ...”
“I told you my name is Emma”
“I know, but I prefer to call you what I do, it suits you better.” He had come to pick up his notebook since he had missed algebra class.
She handed him the notebook and left whistling.
Emma stayed behind, in front of her locker, watching that gait that had her hypnotized but that she had to hide because she was terrified that the school would notice her feelings.
“Emma, you're in the clouds again”
Lisa's voice took her out of her reverie.
Lisa Maldiva was her best friend since elementary school and she was also part of the group of little girls like her. Just as Emma fell in love with Liam, Lisa also fell in love with another pimp, Lucas Litt, with the big difference that both of them were sneaking around assiduously to make out in the bathroom or in the library when old Mr. Roberts let his guard down.
Emma disapproved of the relationship, because Lucas kept those affairs on the sly, as if he was ashamed of Lisa.
Worse, that scoundrel started to ask Lisa to step forward with a “love test” and Lisa insisted that she was ready.
“Don't you think that I should take advantage of it? you more than anyone else know what it is to love someone, without being reciprocated and I feel that I should take this unique opportunity to feel the guy that I like”, Lisa had told her, when Emma reproached her intention.
But Emma knew that Lucas, even though he was from the town, had the same shameless spirit as Liam, always surrounded by all the cheerleaders, so she didn't encourage that relationship because Lisa was as innocent and naive as she was.
In those months, however, she let her guard down with her friend because of problems at home.
Her application to the University of Wyoming had been accepted because she dreamed of going to business school and her father found the application.
She was supposed to go to law school, like her sister Faith and work for him in the county office, so her father lectured her about having applied without asking permission and that he didn't plan to pay her expenses unless she changed careers.
The little girl became despondent and although she worked part-time at the family restaurant of the wife of her chemistry teacher's wife, the venerable Mr. White, the money would never be enough for her because it was only good for a few whims.
She had to give up his dreams and do what her father told her to do if she wanted to go to college.
Because of this, she was very distracted from the problems around her.
Two weeks before graduation, there was a party that was to be the turning point in her life.
Of course she didn't want to go, but Lisa insisted him to go with her since, according to her words, the changeable Lucas was ignoring her and the tenacious little girl believed she could win his attention by giving him what he wanted.
“And how are you supposed to do that?”
Lisa smiled with all her teeth, a sign that she had come up with something underhanded.
“I got some pills....”
“What the...?”
“Don't make that face, I got some pills that will make him lose his resistance, as long as he takes both pills... and that's when I come into the picture”
Emma panicked.
She counted three pills.
“What about this one?”
“It's for me, to get up the courage for what I'm going to do. Just think, him unable to resist me and me totally on the attack”
For Emma it didn't make sense, and although she was worried about Lisa, who told her that there was nothing to worry about, that she already talked to the pharmacist who was her neighbor and she gave her contraceptives, the truth is that her depressing problem at home had her neutralized. Besides, fighting Lisa was impossible.
She hid in a corner and from there she could see and hear everyone happy, but above all from there she could watch without guilt Liam laughing with his group.
And she did it with a mixture of admiration and envy. In less than two weeks, that boy would be back in her town and they would probably never see him again.
To be more certain, she would never cross paths with him again.
The party was taking place at Lucas Litt's house because he had a pool and the consent of his family for the kids to have their farewell party. And that was exactly why Lisa came ready to execute her plan, even though Emma saw Lucas flirting with a blonde and statuesque cheerleader .
In another corner, Lisa was preparing the drinks, mixing what was supposed to be fruit juices with the pills. In reality, they were alcoholic punch, but so that no adult would ruin the party, they were supposed to be harmless drinks.
At that Emma sat up when there was shouting and laughter.
Many stampeded to where the pool was located as there was apparently a fight going on.
Emma didn't even flinch. They could kill each other if they wanted to, it was none of their business and they would most likely have a fight over something silly.
“Kimberly is pulling Jenny's hair!” she heard someone yell.
It was there that Emma noticed that Liam's group had also scattered and ran towards the area of the fight, which was better to stop before it caught the attention of the neighbors and they called someone from the Sheriff's office to lecture them.
Emma took the opportunity to go out to the table and grab a drink because she was dying of thirst. She didn't like alcohol, but a simple drink wouldn't be noticed by her sister.
After that, she started to feel a little strange, with a weird euphoria very rare for her.
She even felt when most of them came back after having stopped the stupid fight. At one point she felt when Liam stepped in front of her.
“ Dorothy , shouldn't you be asleep after you've had your nightly story read to you?”
“Go somewhere else, will you?” she scolded him, surprising the boy with her retort.
He continued laughing and also took a drink to empty it in two gulps. And he said something else that Emma no longer understood. Damn alcohol, she should do something about it.
So it was that she decided to sneak off to the bathroom because despite the strange emboldened euphoria she possessed, she was more afraid of her father and her sister.
She was at the sink for almost half an hour, washing her face and trying to calm the laughter on her face. Maybe she should try lying down for a while until the effect wore off, so she left the bathroom and began to feel the doors of the rooms. They were all locked, which indicated that Lucas' parents were not going to leave rooms to appeal to irresponsible youngsters.
Finally, in a stroke of luck, the last door opened. Everything was dark, because even the curtains were airtight, but the air conditioning was working and through some slit of light, she realized it was a bedroom. Emma reached for the door latch and closed it.
She wanted to rest without being disturbed. She started to unbutton her jeans to be more comfortable and took off her shoes to throw herself on the bed.
“Damn Lisa... “she muttered slowly to herself.
She wasn't stupid, since a single drink of alcohol was impossible to get her head so high as to produce this strange heat. It was clear that she reached to drink what Lisa prepared. He opened his lips and closed his eyes, he began to guide his hand to a place in the south of his body. He had never done it before, but now he desperately wanted to do it.
Feeling the warm skin down there, Emma began to moan from the contact.
At that, the bed moved and a voice coming from someone lying in the same place as her, left her static.
“Who are you...?”
Even in the throes of exhaustion , Emma recognized that voice. She had heard it so many times. And each time she loved it more and more.
It was Liam, who apparently was drunk and couldn't see anything in the dark because he reached out to touch her.
Emma was startled, but didn't move.
“Did you come to see me...or did you make a mistake?” he whispered.
It was clear he didn't know it was Emma Darby.
It seemed that he was waiting for some confirmation before he launched himself at her.
It took only a second for Emma to make the riskiest decision of her life. A once in a lifetime opportunity she would never have again.
She would never have Liam, except in a situation where he didn't know who she was and in an inebriated state like now.
Emma always a cautious and obedient girl. She didn't know anymore if it was Lisa's drug or her own hidden desires talking.
It didn't really matter anymore, because she desperately wanted to drink what was offered to her.
“Yes, I've come to see you...” she murmured.
That was enough for him to throw himself on Emma, who welcomed him with open arms. When their lips touched for the first time it was even magical for Emma.
He was anxious and moved his hands up and down her body, hungry for her and what was about to happen, but still Emma memorized the taste and the heat of that kiss.
Fuck them all.
He slowly spread her legs in assent and that whatever it was, she would stop nothing now.
He didn't know he was with a beginner, but Emma used all her strength not to scream at the new pain and give herself to that unknown act, which she had seen in the movies they watched on the sly with Lisa.
Emma felt in glory, that it was Liam, the boy she secretly adored, who was taking her precious virginity, caressing her body and kissing her like there was no tomorrow.
For the first time, Emma felt genuinely happy.
After a few minutes, the boy collapsed beside her, exhausted and sweaty like her.
Emma was still vibrating from the effects of that act and when she reached out to caress his face, she noticed that he fell asleep.
The girl reached, with some fear, for the lamp on the bedside table and turned it on.
It was just as she expected.
Liam Van Dyke, naked and barely covered by a light blue blanket was sleeping soundly.
She looked at him in rapt attention.
He had been hers.
By a little deception perhaps, but she felt him as part of her, creating an indelible memory in her body and heart.
She sensed his rhythmic breathing and her skin tingled again. She didn't know how much time passed, but that magic was cut short when she felt someone trying to open the door.
Maybe it was some drunk or another couple looking for privacy, because Emma didn't hear them anymore, but it was enough to make her realize that the dream had to end now, because if Liam woke up this would turn into a nightmare and he would hate her.
Emma didn't want that, as she would rather live with a beautiful memory in her mind than ruin it with reality where she was the kind of girl he would never like.
She carefully got up to grab her things from the floor and dress quietly.
She took one last look at the boy lying in the dark before cautiously opening the door and slipping out of there.
She was barely crossing the hallway, when she bumped into Lisa, who seemed desperately looking for her.
When the friends looked at each other, Lisa seemed to understand what had happened when she noticed her friend's appearance, with her hair in disarray and her face blushing.
“Emma, what happened?”
“You never found the drinks that you made, did you?”
Lisa shook her head. She was desperate and worried that someone would get hurt with those drinks.
Emma had nothing to hide anymore and Lisa knew her too well.
“In the confusion, it was me who drank them....”
“Emma....”
“And I was with a boy...” confessed Emma.
Lisa started to cry and hugged her friend.
She felt extremely guilty and didn't dare to ask for the identity of the occasional lover.
Both friends left the place quickly, after Lisa called her brother to come and pick them up.
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That night radically changed everyone's lives.
Lisa felt ashamed but the guilt was even greater when her parents told her that they were moving because her father received a job offer in Atlanta.
Her friendship with Emma continued, but the events of that night were like a breach that needed to be healed, although Emma admitted to her that she allowed the lover to continue with his act, Lisa was sure that it was something her friend would not have done if she was not under the effect of that drug.
Those were the saddest weeks of Emma's life as after graduation everyone she cared about left.
Lisa moved her family to Atlanta, Georgia.
Although they promised to stay in touch, they were far away from each other and Emma knew that Lisa was ashamed of her.
Liam Van Dyke also left two days after Lisa.
Before he did, he even joked with her when he bumped into her as they were carrying his bags out of the residential building to put him in a big car.
“It's a shame, Dorothy ...I'd gotten used to you filling my notes. Try not to get eaten by a pig or whatever it is they do here for fun, will you?”
She was troubled and he wasn't, which was understandable because he didn't know that just two weeks earlier he had slept with the young woman.
It was the last time she saw him and even though she knew she had nothing else to do, she kept coming back to the area where the building where he lived was located, only to see sadly that a “Rental Available” sign was already hanging up.
Overnight, Emma was left without a best friend and lost the boy she loved.
But the bombshell finally exploded a month later, when she passed out while serving dishes at the restaurant while doing her part-time job.
Reality jumped in her face.
The news of her pregnancy landed like an explosive in the house with her father slapping her in the face and Faith mocking her in every way possible.
Upon her refusal to disclose paternity, Mr. Darby warned her that he would no longer pay for her college education.
Faith began to make his life miserable and after Emma exploded with humiliation, she went to Mr. White, her former professor and the only mentor she had, for help.
He had already gotten her a part-time job at a restaurant, but with Emma's confession of pregnancy, he did something else for her.
Mr. White talked to his brother, who owned the firm, into having Emma apply to be a secretary. She would have better pay and health insurance for the child on the way.
Emma moved out of her father's house and from then on lived alone in a small second floor apartment behind Mr. Loyle's barbershop.
Even with the change of life and needs, she never dared to look for Liam.
Emma felt guilty, as the decision had been hers, hers alone. Why ruin Liam's life, who by now would be living in the big city?
He was not to blame for her decisions.
No one ever knew of Tanner's paternity, not even Mr. White. Although she lost the support of her father and Faith, Emma felt tucked in by Mr. White's family and even Mr. Loyle from the barbershop visited her during Tanner's birth.
Mr. Darby visited her only once, but you could tell he did so because he knew everyone was watching and he didn't want it to impact the election votes in his new candidacy for the Laramie delegation.
Anyway, Emma went on to become a single mother to an adorable blue-eyed little boy and was training to become the most efficient legal secretary in the region.
Liam Van Dyke, with the pain of her heart was to be left in the past.
Life was to go on.
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Emma closed her cell phone.
She had already read all the information she needed.
Liam Van Dyke was a majority shareholder in the company where she had just been hired.
Life was giving her a chance to start over away from Cheyenne, with a salary that would allow her to take better care of Tanner. And, above all, not to return to her hometown, with shame on her face.
What should she do?
She looked down at her hands, still shaking from the residual effect of having seen Liam after a decade of solitude, feeling all the men she knew as insufficient to cover Liam Van Dyke's tracks.
Also, with a big secret: Tanner's parentage.
She also thought it was a coincidence to find him since majority shareholders hardly ever crossed paths with bottom link employees like her.
It seems that coincidences were the order of the day, lately. So it was that she was reunited with Lisa as well.
But Liam Van Dyke was Liam Van Dyke....
It was she who decided to sleep with him.
It was she who decided to hide the secret of his paternity.
It was she who resolved to take a guilt and release him from something he didn't consciously do.
The consequences of all the decisions she had made in her life were taking their toll on her.